


Princess

by drwhogirl



Series: Emma Caffrey [1]
Category: White Collar
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:54:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24409888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drwhogirl/pseuds/drwhogirl
Summary: A shameless bit of fluff in which Neal has a daughter
Series: Emma Caffrey [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1780558
Kudos: 48





	Princess

Peter stood in the doorway watching the scene in front of him. Neal Caffrey, expert con-artist and art forger extraordinaire, was sat on the floor playing dress up and having a tea party.

Peter remembered when the man had first escaped Prison. It had been the same day he had met the little bundle of energy currently pouring juice from a tea pot into Neal’s tiny tea cup.

_“I see Kate moved out.” Peter said calmly as he approached the other man. He vaguely noticed a yellow coat crumpled on the man’s lap but didn’t pay it any notice. “She leave you a message in that?”_

_“The bottle is the message.” Neal told him, sounding utterly heartbroken._

_“It's been a while.”_

_“Yeah. A few years, give or take.” Neal put down the bottle and placed a hand on the coat._

_“You carrying?”_

_“You know I don't like guns.”_

_“They ask me, what makes a guy like you pull a boneheaded escape with four months to go?”_

_“I guess you figured it out.”_

_“Kate says "adios" to you at prison, then gets busy with her disappearing act.”_

_“Her trail ends here. But she wasn’t the real reason I left.” Neal told him, eyes focused on whatever was under his coat._

_“Why did you leave?” Peter asked, genuinely confused. He was so sure Kate was the reason that being told that wasn’t true had thrown him back a couple of steps._

_Neal finally met Peter’s eyes. “For Emma.”_

_“Emma?”_

_“You mean there’s something about me you don’t know?” Neal teased as he got to his feet and collected the bundle in his lap into his arms. The coat fell away and Peter could finally make out the form of a sleeping girl. She had Caffrey’s dark curls and slim build but she couldn’t have been more than 4 years old._

_“Kate was going to leave, she wasn’t going to let me see my daughter again. I had to… and I’m glad I did. I got here two days after Kate left. After she abandoned Emma.” Neal paused before speaking again. “I know I’m going to have to go back and have no right to ask but please make sure she ends up somewhere safe. With someone who will love her.” Peter nodded and took the girl from Neal’s arms. It’s then that Neal noticed the fibre on Peter’s suit._

_“You know what this is?” Neal asked, gently plucking the fibre from Peter's shoulder._

_“No idea. I got it from a case I was supposed to be working on before they yanked me off to find you.”_

_“You think you'll catch him?” Neal asked hopefully, an idea already forming in his mind_

_“Don't know. He's good.” Peter told him, wondering what exactly the other man was thinking. “Maybe as good as you.”_

_“What's it worth if I tell you what this is? Is it worth a meeting?”_

_“What are you talking about?"_

_"If I tell you what this is right now, will you agree to meet me back in prison in one week? Just a meeting.”_

_“Okay.”_

_“It's a security fibre for the new Canadian $100 bill.”_

_It was then that the agents outside chose to storm the building. Neal had been right of course and it hadn’t been too hard to secure his deal. Particularly when he had a dependant, one who stayed with the Burkes until they were able to secure the deal and Neal found a place to live with June._

“Peter!” the little girl shrieked excitedly, running up to him and hugging his leg.

“Hey Emma.” Peter knelt down and gave her a hug, it was then that he noticed the tiara nestled in amongst ebony curls. That explained the flash of gold he had noticed on Neal’s head. Getting a better look at it now, it seemed very expensive. “Where did the tiara come from? It’s very pretty.”

“Uncle Mozzie. Daddy’s got the best one today though. We’re playing princesses!” At that moment, Peter became very sure that the tiara must have been stolen. He wouldn’t say anything though, not unless it’s picture ended up in a file on his desk anyway.

“You’re both very pretty princesses.” He told her with a grin in Neal’s direction. He laughed when he noticed the glare he was receiving. It told him, in no uncertain terms, that Neal was willing to reconsider his policy on guns if he breathed a word of this to anyone. Peter was willing to risk it though. “Are you and your daddy finished playing? I need to take him to work.”

“Actually Peter.” Neal called over from where he was getting to his feet. “June’s gone out. I won’t have anyone to watch her until Moz comes over in half an hour.”

By the time Mozzie did arrive, both Neal and Peter had been subjected to an Emma special makeover featuring all the Primary colours. “Nice look, suit.”

“Say another word and I will arrest you.” Peter grumbled, waiting until he had gotten downstairs before attempting to wash the makeup off. He couldn’t imagine the ridicule he would receive if he turned up at the office like that.

Once they had cleaned up he glanced over at Neal and plucked the tiara from where it was nestled in his hair. “Come on Princess. We have work to do.”


End file.
